History Of The School


The DKCBA StoryThe DKCBA Story

Dmitri Kulev Classical Ballet Academy (DKCBA) was founded in 2006 by Dmitri and Jennifer Kulev, past principal dancers at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Beginning with a small group of students from the Classical Ballet Academy, DKCBA focuses on training dancers in the Russian Vaganova method.  Under the direction of Dmitri and Jennifer, the school was able to maintain the highest standards of Russian ballet.  DKCBA’s dancers soon began to receive numerous awards in various national and international dance competitions.

Today the academy has grown to offer dance training from the pre-ballet to professional level in ballet, modern, tap, jazz, contemporary, character and lyrical. Home to the Orange County Ballet Theater (OCBT), students at DKCBA are given performance opportunities in and around Orange County.

The Kulev’s goal is to provide students with the highest quality instruction. This training is evident in the top awards the students of DKCBA continue to receive at many national and international dance competitions. Students from DKCBA have been accepted to prestigious ballet programs such as: Pacific Northwest Ballet School, Washington Ballet, Saratoga Summer Dance Intensive, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, Kirov Academy in Washington D.C., American Ballet Theatre (ABT), Harid Conservatory, The School of American Ballet (SAB), Bolshoi Ballet Academy Summer Intensive,  and the Briansky School in New York.